Does high-end brake pads really helps reducing stopping distance? - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

docomo · 03-20-2004, 02:39

Just a bit food for thought, anybody have ever wondered why a car would stop when we hit the brake? I reckon that's a 2 step process:
1. Brake pads lock up the rotors / drum, stopping tyres to rotate
2. The car will then be stopped by friction between road and tyres once the tyres stopped its rotation,

I reckon a good set of tyres would contribute to the braking distance, but not upgrading pads, rotors and calipers. They may be able to help the brake system to maintain its efficiency during high temp. produced by hard driving. Unless the friction coefficient between tyres and road is greater than brake pads and rotors (and I reckon that may not happen in a foreseeable future), the limiting factor in stopping distance will always be tyres, but not the brake system. Therefore, shouldn't tyres be rated in higher priority compared to all those pads / rotors / caliper upgrade? I don't really understand why there are so many people who is willing to spend big bucks on brake upgrade while their car is still wearing 2 pair of low quality rubber donuts like Bob Jane Allrounder?

Casper · 03-20-2004, 02:49

after the 2nd or 3rd heavy stop the cheaper pads lose there ability to "grip" the rotor. Also, slotted discs work as, during a heavy stop, massive amounts of heat is generated causing a pocket of heated gas to form between the pad and the disc. This gas stops the pad from "gripping" the disc/ By having slots the gas is allowed to escape which helps assist braking.
Basically, after 3 or 4 heavy stops from high speed you can have the best tyres in the world but if your pads and discs are not up to it, there will be no brakes!

davway · 03-20-2004, 02:50

i had high performance brake pads (not rotors) on a car once. i must say that i could pull up ALOT quicker with a greatly shorter stopping distance than the ford factory 'dust free' (dont even get me started on that!!) brake pads. this was normal and hard braking without skidding.
i found 2 things with these pads.
they dont last as long as they are a 'softer' compound
and they cost a shit load more.

302xm · 03-20-2004, 17:43

[QUOTE=docomo]Just a bit food for thought, anybody have ever wondered why a car would stop when we hit the brake? I reckon that's a 2 step process:
1. Brake pads lock up the rotors / drum, stopping tyres to rotate
2. The car will then be stopped by friction between road and tyres once the tyres stopped its rotation,

[QUOTE]
high-end brake pads really helps reduce your bank balance - LOL.
Yes- but its a combination of otherthings as well.
You don't want to lock the wheels when braking as you wont stop as fast as you could and you lose steering control!
The more grip a tyre has the better. Have you noticed when some one does a burnout the hardest part is braking traction but onces its done that theres no grip at all and the car will move sideways(LSDiff both wheels spinning) due to there being nothing to hold it to the road.
Reverse the two (road is moving ,wheel is stopped and you will get the same lack of grip.
Its the friction between the pad and rotor thats slowing you down and how well the tyre can keep grip with the road.a better compound pad will help here -some need to be warmed up before they work there best.
Also a wider tyre will also help as it has a larger area contacting the road and wont brake traction as early as a smaller tyre .even a small increase in size will be an improvement.

redGhia · 03-20-2004, 18:03

after just finishing my brake upgrade , I would definatley say that the pads have a large effect on the stopping distance, and rotors equally so

tyres play an important part, but with most new cars running abs, this avoids lock up anyway. so you just jam your foot on the brake. I may have just completed the upgrade but i have high quality tyres as well (Bridgestone Potenza G 3's in a 225/60/ R15 Format , they are not a cheap tyre for a 15 in sizing

kooky · 03-21-2004, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by 302xm

Also a wider tyre will also help as it has a larger area contacting the road and wont brake traction as early as a smaller tyre .even a small increase in size will be an improvement.

Not true; larger tyre surface results in less weight per square unit of tyre contact. Its based on momentum & friction its not as easy as just increasing tyre size.

Casper · 03-21-2004, 19:39

Tyre compound is far more critical to tyre width (within reason). Momentum is a given...the car is moving and weights x amount. Friction is the critical factor both in pads and tyres. Maximum friction is required for shortest stopping lengths. This is why rain increases stopping distance...water reduced the tyres friction with the road.

In some cases a wider tyre will significantly increase stopping distances in the wet as the width makes it impossible for water to escape and creates the aquaplane effect.

JC-XR8 · 03-21-2004, 20:17

Doesn't matter what brake pads you have, or what material the disc is made out of - this is why F1 cars run the exact same pads and discs as used in my AU1 XR6 - NOT!

This thread should be deleted for the sheer stupidity of the subject!

Casper · 03-21-2004, 20:19

Quote:

brake pads you have, or what material the disc is made out of

Anyone want to lathe me up some wooden discs? Save me a fortune come time to replace the stock ones.

Dont worry, I can do my own cross drilling.

/me readies the handy power drill and craft glue!

JC-XR8 · 03-21-2004, 20:39

make me a set while you're there too! In fact the old wooden block on a lever rubbing on the tyre should be even more effective than discs/pads, as it's really the tyres gripping power that does all the stopping for us.